


Wounds, Scars & Cuts

by Nadja_Lee



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Discrimination, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Love, Mutant Concentration Camps, Mutant Registration Act, Racism, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-06-03
Updated: 2002-06-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:47:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22929706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee
Summary: The war Magneto predicted has come. What will the X-men do?Scott fights for his life while Magneto is faced with the real possibility that the rebels might lose a leader.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Kitty Pryde, Logan/Rogue (X-Men), Victor Creed/Clarice Ferguson | Clarice Fong
Kudos: 145





	Wounds, Scars & Cuts

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Joanne and Estelle for the Beta and kind encouragement. Thanks so much, lov.  
> Dedicated to Jen, Karen, Joanne, Autumn, Susan, Sorcieré (always, lov) and the rest of the DDFH list with thanks and love.  
> Dedicated to Estelle who got me to finish this after weeks of inactivity. Thanks, lov!  
> Thanks to Estelle for the Beta.
> 
> Note: Victor is Sabretooth's real name. Also note that Erik is an old fashioned man; he calls his wife by her full name Katherine and not simply Kitty and so on. Also, this world is make belief; I mean no disrespect to the countries that I've written in here has having joined forces against the Rebellion.

**Wounds**

"Rogue, quickly. The camp left of here was attacked last night. We have several wounded coming in," Ororo stuck her head through the door to the small barrack Logan and Rogue shared. It was still dark outside but she quickly got up and dressed.

"I'm here," she answered and went out still buttoning her blouse. The camp was alive with people even at this hour. Her barrack was in the centre besides Scott and Magneto's. The other former X-men had barracks with the other soldiers in the east end.

She ran through the camp and towards the wounded, her heart still breaking every time she saw such death and destruction; men, women and children bleeding, laying wounded, their screams of pain filling the air. She began tending the injured, issuing orders on who to take where and who's too far gone to save and must be left to their fate. As she did this her heart was in her throat because she always feared one of the wounded might be Logan though she knew he'll probably outlive them all by ages. After she had gone through the wounded her heart stopped beating in fear as she saw that none of her closest friends was among the wounded or dead.

"Who reported this?" she asked someone and no one as she began dressing a man's leg wound.

"I was flying my patrol round and saw the camp engaged in minor battle," Ororo explained as she tried to be as gentle as possible as she put a woman's torn shoulder back in place.

"Is Scott back yet?" she asked worried. He went out with his group on a mission to destroy the Government's weapon deport in the west end of town almost seven days ago.

"No but I think I saw Bobby somewhere," Ororo said as she let her eyes quickly scan the area but didn't see him so she returned to try to stop the bleeding in a child's stomach, her hands practically covered in the child's guts. Her hands were red with blood and Rogue could see she would lose her young patient.

"'Ro….let her go," Rogue softly said, going to her and holding her hands away from the child who was now still, her body frozen in agony in her moment of death. It was at times like these she was actually happy that she and Logan had no kids and due to her mutation couldn't have any.

"No, I have to save her. I have to," Ororo denied, trying to escape her hands. She shook her head. This life was never for Ororo. She cared too much; this was killing her ever so slowly.

"Please, 'Ro…let her go," she pleaded softly, hugging her close. Reluctantly Ororo drew back and almost fell into her arms. She held her close.

"So much death…..so much. Too much, too much," Ororo mumbled. Rogue gently stroked her hair back. Ever since she lost her child and husband, Remy, she hadn't been herself. Rogue feared it wouldn't be long before she joined them. Maybe that was for the best.

"Shh. Don't think about it. Don't think," she whispered softly. Suddenly Ororo stiffened in her arms.

"Choppers are here. Circling the area above the camp. I'll take care of them," she released herself from Rogue's embrace and flew to the sky. She quickly disappeared from sight in the big dark sky she had created around this, their main base, and around as many bases as her

control allowed her. To keep the camps clouded she could never rest or be at ease. Even in sleep she had to concentrate on keeping the shield up. That too Rogue knew that it was tearing her down but it was the best shield they had had to date.

"Rogue, Rogue!" Someone yelled and she turned around, looking for whoever called. She saw Bobby coming running towards her. So changed he was from the boy who had given her an ice rose. He was much older now, his face and body scarred from battle as are almost everyone's here. He wore the Rebel uniform and in a belt he carried several guns and knives.

"Yes? What is it?" she asked and talked while she returned her attention to the wounded, telling the others what to do. The mutants with the least useful powers acted as doctors or nurses. Her power never developed or was never controllable. On Logan's request and Scott's orders Rogue led the doctor team here. Jean had taught her well and sometimes Rogue wished she was there. But Jean had been one of the first to die, leaving Scott heartbroken. She knew she shouldn't wish anything because wishing only brought heartache and a longing for what would never be but there was always need for more doctors. Several of the people Rogue trained to be doctors or nurses were nothing more than kids…. or old men and women.

"My lady, I must see Commander Magneto at once," Bobby said, his breathing hard and a fresh wound on his shoulder.

"Here," instinctively she gave him a bandage for the shoulder wound. Bobby had been on a mission with Scott and she tried to see if she could see him somewhere but couldn't. "Magneto is in his tent looking over the strategies Scott left him for tomorrow's battle. We're attacking the medical convey," she explained and he nodded his thanks and hurried to Magneto's tent. There was a special bond between those of them who had known and remembered Xavier; in short the former X-men. Xavier's murder had been the beginning to the war. It had all gone down hill from

there. Mutant registration, KZ-camps…mass killings. Times were desperate and a civil war had broken out; the government vs. the rebels.

The rebels were mostly mutants but some humans had joined as well. The humans were, by Scott's orders, given lighter duties unless they had had battle training or he chose to have them trained. They were a great addition to the fight as they could move freely about in the cities. The cities had mutant detectors these days that made frontal assaults difficult. At the beginning of the war Scott had quickly realized that divided the mutant race would fall so he joined with Magneto and every other mutant group in the country, founding the rebellion. Scott stood as leader and a symbol for the rebellion and Magneto was his right hand man who worried constantly because Scott insisted on leading his missions himself. Such courage, or stupidity as Erik called it, had cost him the use of one eye and his right hand. But it was also his courage that made his soldiers love and respect him. It's what made them willing to follow him to the death…. and it's what made Logan follow him.

"Commander. I must speak with you," Bobby asked as he stood outside Magneto's tent.

"Come in," Magneto granted and Bobby went inside as Kitty went out.

"My Queen," Bobby smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Silly head," she grinned but accepted the name the soldiers and the camp had given her as she moved towards Rogue.

"Can I help?" she asked and Rogue nodded.

"Those two over there…" she pointed to a young woman and an old man. "...won't make it. Maybe you can stay with them?"

"Of course," Kitty promised and went to them, taking each their hands and speaking softly to them. In her long white dress she remained a symbol of hope and peace; the chance for a better future. Through all this she had never lost her innocence or her compassion and that was a rare thing.

She had married Magneto with Scott's approval to bring the former X-men and Brotherhood closer together. She had been twenty-one and Erik 75 though thanks to his mutation he had looked fifty. Their friendship had drifted into love as his cynicism was matched with her gentleness, his hate to her love and his desire for revenge to her forgiveness. They were perfect for each other and remained a strong symbol for the fight. They had now been married for ten years and Kitty had given birth to two children, which in itself was rare as many kids died before they were born due to the vulnerability they brought upon their mothers. Erik, however, had done everything in his power to protect her and with Scott and Logan's help…..she had pulled through. Both her children lived still and showed signs to become powerful mutants. Their oldest, Pietro….so like his father in his rage and temperament. He possessed the mutant power of super-speed. Their youngest, Wanda, possessed the mutant power of luck so to speak. She had the powers of a witch; she could bend the future to her favour and that had saved a lot of people over the years even when she was too young to know it.

"Katherine," Erik called to her and she turned her head towards him, having just lost her two patients, as Marie knew she would. She saw he was dressed in battle gear. He hadn't changed it over the years and he was one of the few mutants who refused to carry any kind of weapon save his mutant powers. He was one of the strongest mutants but still the government had special guns which could neutralize mutant powers and that was why on Scott's order all soldiers carried guns and other weapons to be able to defend themselves if they were hit by these M-guns.

"You're going into battle," she said as she went to him; it was a statement, not a question.

"I have to. Bobby just told me that Scott's team has been defeated," there was great worry in his voice as he said it.

"Is he alright?" Kitty and Rogue asked simultaneously.

"We don't know. He divided his team in half so one half could get away and the other half would provide cover fire."

"And he stayed behind," Rogue guessed and Erik nodded. So like him. Crazy bastard. Crazy and brave. And maybe dead too. God damn you, Scott, she thought furiously and sadly. You're like a brother to me, don't put me through this. Don't let me bury you. Please don't.

"Yes," Erik nodded grimly.

"Is he…dead?" Kitty asked worried, the tears she had shed for her two patients still on her cheeks as her eyes welled up again.

"I don't think so. Betsy says she can telepathically feel him though he's weak. They have most likely taken him in for questioning in Alton's Jail," hate was in Erik's voice now. Hate and cold determination. Scott had come to be like a son to him and he'll see to it that he was either rescued or avenged.

"Oh, God," Kitty put her hand over her mouth and Erik drew her into his embrace. They all knew what questioning meant; torture. Devilish torture on body and mind.

"He won't break. He won't," Rogue said strongly, having every faith in him.

"Don't be a fool. Everyone breaks after the sixth day," Erik warned, stroking his wife's hair ever so softly.

"Oh, Scott," Kitty sniffed against Erik's shoulder.

"Shh, ukochana[1]. All will be alright. I'll see him safe," Erik comforted and drew back. He lifted her head up with a finger under her chin. "Look at me, Kitten," he asked softly, strength in his voice. She did so, tears on her cheeks. Erik gently wiped them away. "I will see him safely home, one way or another. I give you my word."

"I know you will," Kitty said and forced a smile. " I love you," she kissed him and he drew her close.

"I love you too," he mumbled against her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"Let me come with you," Kitty asked as she drew back.

"No, you know you can't," he denied.

"I'm tired of being a symbol, Erik. Let me help you," she pressed.

"No. Don't ask me to take you out there," with a hand he indicated the battle torn landscape outside the base. "Don't. Be here, be safe," he said as he saw she was about to protest. "Please?" he added softly.

"Okay. I'll stay," she promised and he smiled and gave her a quick kiss and hug before he turned to go.

"Take care of everything, Rogue," he ordered as he went past Rogue. Bobby, who had kept a respectful distance, went behind him and then came the soldiers he would take with him. Rogue saw Blink and Sabretooth there too. Blink was the sweetest young woman Rogue had ever met. Sabretooth had rescued her some years ago when he was on a raid in town with Logan and had taken care of her. When she had turned 17 they had married. Blink was a valued member of the group, as she possessed the power of 'blinking', meaning she could make small holes in space through which she could take a limited number of people. They'll walk through the hole in one end of town and could end up in the other. But her powers were limited and would disappear for some days if she had tried to overuse them.

Rogue looked around to see if she could find Logan. Scott had sent him on a rescue mission in town after a mutant of German origin named Kurt. He was also a Catholic priest so Scott had figured having him would boost morale.

"Rogue!" Logan yelled as he saw her walking across the camp.

"Logan," she lit up in a smile and ran into his arms and he spun her around and kissed her again and again on her hair, her gloves or so quick and light kisses on her lips that her powers didn't have time to register it.

"You're all right," she said relieved, hugging him close.

"Yeah but I lost two members of my team," Logan told her darkly. "Damn human bastards!"

"Who did you lose?"

"Naria and Paul."

Against her will Rogue was relieved to hear it wasn't anyone she knew.

"Did you get him?"

"Of course. It's me," Logan said with forced cheer, trying to remake a moment of carefreeness for her. She smiled and hugged him.

"He's there," Logan pointed to his left and Rogue saw a blue man in a priest robe. He had pointy ears and a tail but friendly eyes and face. Already several people were gathered around him. In this time faith was everything and she could see that Scott had been right; it would

boost morale to have him here. It was strange how so many pretty things had drifted out of their lives as meaningless. When Bobby and St. John had married no one had apposed it. There were much more at stake here than pretty prejudices. In this day and age it was all about survival; there was no room for old hates, jealousies or prejudices within the group. If this war was good for something it was teaching them that their own prejudices were stupid and meaningless as both Erik and Kitty's and Bobby and St. John's marriages had proven. If they won this war she hoped they could let their prejudices die with the fighting.

"Good," she mumbled.

"You sound sad," Logan asked concerned, searching her for signs of injuries. To his relief she was unharmed.

"Scott has been taken. Magneto is moving out with a rescue party," Rogue told him.

"To rescue him…..or confirm his death," Logan mumbled. Everyone who was captured was a security risk. They had to either free them or confirm they were dead…maybe even kill them themselves. In Scott's case though they needed him back alive badly. He was the strategic and he was good at it. Also Logan feared the Rebels would fall apart without him to bind them together. He doubted Magneto and Kitty, despite their popularity, could do it alone. The sheer loss in moral to know their leader was dead would be fatal.

"I'll go with him," Logan decided.

"I knew you would. Be careful," she urged and kissed him through her scarf. She had long since learned that begging him to stay where it was safe was useless. Logan was a man of action and that was one of the reasons why she loved him so much.

"I will," he promised and hugged her close. Above Rogue's head he saw Magneto fly up and generate a magnetic field around his soldiers.

"I love you," Rogue said warmly and stroked his cheek with her gloved hand, leaving a trace of another's blood on his face.

"I love you too, darlin'. Be safe," he kissed the top of her head before he reluctantly let her go.

"Come back to me," she whispered as he ran towards Magneto to catch him before they left.

"Hey, Mags. I'm coming too," Logan yelled and Rogue couldn't help smiling. Only Logan could get away with still being so informal towards both Magneto and Scott who he called Mags and Scooter. It was nice to see that some things didn't change after all.

Blink created a portal and Magneto began letting them fly through. They'd probably land inside the jail somewhere. Rogue looked after them as long as she could until all were through and Blink's portal disappeared.

"Please….come back to me. All of you…please come back to me," Rogue whispered softly.

Please…..come back

**Part 2: Scars**

"I hate these things," Logan bummed as Blink concentrated and a portal opened behind the group.

"Get us inside the jail," Magneto ordered and the young girl took her hands to her head and grimaced in concentration. Concerned Sabretooth went to her and embraced her, holding her up. Often creating portals was so exhausting for her that she would pass out and Sabretooth always made sure he was there to catch her. If Logan was protective of his wife Sabretooth was 100 fold as bad.

"I…..will…..try," Blink got out, sweat covering her brow. Magneto levitated the entire group and they began to disappear through the portal.

"Careful, Clarice," Sabretooth whispered in her ear as they too went through the portal. Sabretooth only used her given name when they were in private or when he was concerned for her.

The journey itself through the portal was indescribable. It was just like a blink, one minute one place and another the next. Magneto had been the first to enter the portal and so was first to come through. He quickly scanned the area for possible threats and was relieved to see they had landed in a seemly deserted hallway of the jail. As the others began to come through Magneto released his hold on them and as they landed on the floor they took up battle positions around Magneto, protecting him. Last came Logan, Sabretooth and Blink. As soon as Blink was through the portal disappeared and Blink fell into Victor's arms and he lifted her up, holding her tight.

"Is she out of it?" Logan asked as he sniffed the air. It stank of death, burnt meat, sweat, vomit and blood. He could see from Victor's frowning that the stanch disturbed him too.

"She'll be alright in a minute," Victor assured, automatically being on the defence, snarling at the soldiers who were close to him in fear they'll take Blink from him.

"Sabretooth, stay here and hold this position for us. Have Blink ready to get us out in max. ten minutes. Logan, you're with me," Magneto ordered and began to walk straight ahead towards a corner of the long darkened hallway.

"Mags, it'll be this way," Logan pointed towards the other way and the soldiers smiled as Magneto walked back past them and after Logan.

"You sure? You can smell him?" Magneto asked concerned as they walked through the hallway, turning a corner.

"There are too many smells here but I know he wasn't the other way," Logan confirmed.

"Why?"  
"Because you were heading towards the kitchen. I smelled chicken," Logan grinned and Magneto gave a rare half smile.

"We….." Magneto began but Logan reached up a hand, gesturing him to be quiet.

"I hear something. Someone is coming," Logan warned and drew his claws.

"How many?" Magneto levitated a few meters from the cold stone floor to be ready for battle and to scare their coming 'friends'.

"Around ten," Logan said as he had sniffed the air again. They reached a new corner and hid in the shadows, waiting for their 'guests' to come closer.

"Maybe we should give them a chance to surrender?" Magneto suggested dryly in that tone of voice that made people unsure if he was joking or not. He was just arrogant enough to actually mean it. Only Kitty was able to bring him down on the ground when he got one of his fits. When Logan had first heard that Scott wanted to join with Magneto he had been against it to say the least. In fact he had almost killed Scott in a fit of rage to even suggest the man who had tried to kill Rogue was invited into their midst. But as the war grew and he had gotten to know Magneto better he had seen that he wasn't an evil man, just a man haunted by a past he couldn't let go and that was something Logan knew all about. However that hadn't meant he had liked it when Scott had told about the planned marriage between Kitty and Magneto. Scott had seen the political advantages and had said he was sure Magneto would take good care of Kitty but Logan had had his doubts so he had sought Magneto out and asked him about Kitty. Though Magneto didn't tell of his feelings he had let him know that he found Kitty interesting and beautiful. They had apparently talked together, their shared religion, both being Jewish, had also strengthened their bond as at that time they had been the only Jewish people in the still newborn rebellion. Logan had feared Magneto would destroy Kitty, change her and turn her into something she was not. But as time passed Logan had seen Kitty remain the same; sweet, pure, innocent and compassionate while it was Magneto who changed; there was nothing he wouldn't do for his wife or his children and even in his darkest hours Magneto would never harm her and he would always listen to her. He doubted the rebellion would have worked as well as it did if Kitty hadn't been there to create a balance and strong alliance between the two old groups; the X-men and the Brotherhood.

"Now," Logan yelled as the guards turned their corner and interrupted his thoughts.

"As quietly as possible," Magneto urged as he lifted six men up from the ground and threw them into the wall, breaking their necks. Logan put his claws through one guard and let him fall dead to the floor. Magneto lifted four other guards up into the air with a wake of one hand and stopped the rain of bullets from their guns with the other. Again he threw the guards against the wall, killing them instantly. Logan had the last guard cornered, two claws on either side of his head as he held him against the wall.

"Don't kill him yet. Maybe he knows where Scott is," Magneto ordered, coming to stand beside Logan. "We're searching for a man, a mutant, who can emit beams of energy from his eyes. Tall, brown hair, muscular, battle trained. Has lost one eye and a hand. He has the rebels symbol tattooed on his right shoulder," Magneto described Scott for the frightened guard. The man shook his head, no words escaping his lips.

"So, do you know him?" Logan grumped at the guard, pure hate in his eyes. When he had first came to the Mansion he hadn't respected Scott at all, he hadn't known what kind of man he was. During the war he had seen Scott grow with his responsibility. No matter how tough a decision, like when he had been forced to give the order to cut Jean's life-support system when it became apparent she couldn't be saved…he never backed down and always took full responsibility for his actions. He wasn't afraid to give an order he knew would kill ten if he were sure it would save a hundred. Scott gave him and Sabretooth the toughest two men missions, knowing they with their healing factors could fight longer and withstand torture longer than any other soldier he had. It had been on one of those missions Sabretooth had found and rescued Blink.

The bond he shared now with Scott wasn't one of superior to soldier because he hadn't and probably never would be able to take orders like that but he did what Scott said because he found his orders sound. They had grown closer than family as only brothers in arms can.

"I…. tell you nothing," the frightened guard got out through trembling lips, his eyes flagging.

"I'm a mutant, y'know…. one of those dangerous insane guys you try to kill," Logan stated, his third claw breaking skin and touching the guard's throat.

"I would tell him. He's quite insane," Magneto told him.

"If I tell….you'll let me live?" the guard asked, sweat running down his face.

"Of course," Magneto promised. The guard looked from Magneto to Logan, town torn between duty and fear for his life. In the end his choice wasn't a hard one.

"In room 234….there's a mutie there," he finally said.

"Good," Magneto nodded in satisfaction. The guard drew a relieved breath. Logan smiled a dangerous smile.

"Thanks, bub," as he said it his claw drew blood on his throat.

"But...you promised!" the guard yelled frightened. Magneto turned his back on him but then turned back.

"Stop," he ordered and Logan reluctantly drew his third claw a little back. The guard looked happy and relieved again.

"I knew you wouldn't do this," he kept mumbling.

"Room 234 is down the way you came from, right?" Magneto asked and the guard nodded.

"Yes, yes."

"Good. Now, you can kill him," Magneto turned his back on them, ignoring the guard's yells and pleas and waited for Logan to catch up with him.

"He won't tell anyone we were here," Logan said as he walked besides Magneto, his claws bloody as they withdrew into his skin.

The hallway was empty as they passed several rooms, counting down to the one they were after. As they were just a few doors from the right number Magneto could hear noises, loud cracks and faint whimpers. He wasn't sure which room they came from but he wasn't a dreamer; Scott couldn't have been here for so many days and still be unharmed.

"Logan, if he….if he…," he couldn't bring himself to say it, let alone ask what was on his mind.  
"If we can't take him back with us…I'll see to it he won't live through anymore of this nightmare," Logan promised darkly, his claws popping out again. It wasn't a promise he made lightly but he would rather Scott died quickly and by a friend's hand than after days, weeks, maybe even months of torture. Magneto nodded his thanks and they reached the room. Taking a deep breath Magneto turned the handle and opened the door. The stench in the room was so high that even without enhanced smell Magneto was almost blown away by it. It smelled of blood, fear, sweat, vomit, urine and a truly sick stench of burned human flesh. It wasn't a cell they had entered but an interrogation room. There was nothing in the room save metal walls, a chair and chains from the ceiling. And in those chains….God, dear God…..no.

"Good God," Magneto whispered horrified at the sight that meant him. From the chains hung a man. He was naked save some bloody, dirty and torn boxers. The man was facing the other way so he got a full view of his back. It was one big bloody mess, crosswired with scars and angry red welts. Layer upon layer of wounds, some several days old and already beginning to colour, some fresh and still bleeding. Marks from beatings but most noticeable were the scars from several whippings.

"Fuckin' bastards!" Logan spat as he saw the man hanging in the room. Sabretooth and him had both been captured several times but had always managed to escape within few days. Their torture had been intense but had never left them with any scars; their healing factor always prevented that. This was….words failed him, there was only this strange feeling in his chest, a need to do something.

"Looooo," the man moaned, the sound was weak, hard to understand and muffled. Please, don't let this be Scott, Magneto prayed as he slowly walked around the bruised and beaten form to see the man's face. The marks after beatings continued on the man's chest where burn marks joined the marks after beatings and whippings. The man's head was bent; he didn't have enough strength to lift it. Forcing his hand to be steady Magneto lifted the man's head up…and looked into a stranger's familiar face.

"Scott!" it was a name, a whisper, a curse and a prayer. His face was almost unrecognisable. There was a long scar running down his face, probably from a knife, there were clear signs from a beating and his eyes were forced shut from the beatings and dried blood. At the beginning of his capture they had to have kept him blindfolded but now, after several days without the light of the sun or stars that provided Scott with the energy to his eye blasts they had found it was no longer necessary.

"Maaaagnnn," there were a faint sound coming from Scott's mouth and a small smile which quickly turned into a grimace of pain, went over his face. As he spoke blood ran out of his mouth and Magneto feared he had severe internal damage.

"Cut him loose for pity's sake," Magneto ordered, his voice threatening to break down. He had seen torture before; he had felt it before, even before this war. During WW2 he had seen it but humans cruelty never ceased to disgust and amaze him.

"Hold him," Logan ordered as he popped his claws and cut the chains that forced Scott's hands together above his head. Magneto caught him as Scott fell towards the floor and though he tried to be gentle Scott still moaned in pain as he touched him.

"We have to get him back and fast," Magneto urged as he tried to hold as softly around Scott as possible but everywhere he held would hurt him. Every spot on his body had been abused. Seeing Scott lying there, all but naked in Magneto's arms broke something inside Logan. He had never seen Scott this valuable before. So undignified. Like Magneto, Scott needed his dignity and those bastards had taken it from him, humiliated him, maybe raped him…and gods knew what else they had done to him.

"I'll take him," Logan said softly and bent down and lifted Scott up into his arms. As he carried him in his arms he was reminded of just how young Scott was. A man now and no longer a boy but still a young man who should be out looking for his one true love, not laying all but dead in his arms, having already lost the woman he loved years ago.

"I'll give you cover," Magneto promised, rage replacing his sorrow and anger as they moved out of the room Scott had been in and towards the others.

"Give him your cape," Logan asked as they were to turn a corner, almost back where they had started. He didn't want the others to see Scott like this; so valuable, so broken. He had suffered enough, he didn't need that.

"Here," Magneto said softly and covered Scott's weak, broken and bruised form with his big cape.

"Aaaa…..nnnnn…..te...lllllllll," Scott whispered pained and Magneto forced a half-smile, stroking his cheek ever so softly but even that kind gesture made him flinch.

"I know you didn't tell them anything," he reassured him and Scott seemed to find peace in that for his eyes closed and he became limp in Logan's arms.  
"Scott! Scott!" Magneto said panicked. "Is he alright?"

Logan listened to the heartbeats around him and relieved found two besides his own though one was very weak.

"He's alive," Logan reassured and Magneto drew a relieved breath. Thank God. They turned the last corner and saw Blink on her feet, Sabretooth standing protectively in front of her.

"You're back. Good. We've had some minor run-ins with guards coming from the kitchen," Victor explained and nodded towards some bodies lying in front of them.

"Any dead on our side?" Magneto asked and tried to ignore the horrified look on everyone's faces as they saw Scott.

"My God," Bobby took a hand up and covered his month. He shouldn't have let Scott divide the team, he should have stayed, he should have….

"It wasn't your fault," Magneto said, putting a calming hand on Bobby's shoulder. "They did this. Blame them instead."  
A look of pure hate filled Bobby's eyes.  
"Oh, I will. And believe me; they'll pay."  
"None dead but five wounded," Victor answered Magneto's question.

"Good. Blink, create a portal as close to the medical barracks in the base as possible. Scott needs medical attention badly," Magneto demanded and Blink nodded and concentrated. A portal was created behind her. The drain on her powers made her almost fall but Victor was there to hold her.

"Through the portal. Logan, get Scott to sickbay as soon as we arrive," Magneto demanded and levitated Logan and let him fly through the portal with his precious burden first. Then Magneto levitated the soldiers, Bobby and lastly Victor and Blink before he went through the portal as the last one.

Sometimes their rescue missions were a success with few sacrifices and other times an entire rescue party was killed. Though they relied on Intelligence reports it was mostly a matter of luck. As Magneto thought about the agony Scott was in now and the Hell he had been through he wasn't sure if trying to save him was the most humane thing to do. Maybe it was better to finally grant him peace.

When he was through the portal he saw Logan already at sickbay with Scott in his arms, Rogue, her medical staff and Ororo all over him.

"Erik!" Kitty yelled and threw herself into his embrace and held him close. The portal closed behind Magneto and Blink passed out in Victor's arms. He carried her to their barrack to tend to her.

"It's alright now," Erik smoothed as he heard her faint crying against his shoulder.

"Will he….will he live?" she asked brokenly, tears running down her face as she drew back to look at him. His heart was breaking at seeing her this sad and knowing what the cause was….it was killing him too to see a friend in such agony.

"If anyone can save him….it's Rogue and Ororo," Magneto said softly and gently wiped her tears away.

"What will we do if he…." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"We'll do as we always do…..stand and fight," Magneto said grimly. Then he forced a smile for her and kissed the top of her head. "But he's strong, he'll pull through."

"He'll pull through."

_Please…live, Scott. For us….live._

_Please…_

**Part 3: Cuts**

"How is he?" Erik asked worried as he stopped outside the hospital tent, stopping Ororo as soon as he saw her leave the tent to get some air. After he had led the successful rescue of Scott he had been unable to find rest. Old memories and nightmares from his years in a KZ-camp during WW2 had resurfaced and not even Katherine's gentle touch could help him find peace. He had tried to sleep, knowing he needed the strength, knowing everyone now more than ever looked to him for guidance and advice but the memories had been so real; every time he closed his eyes he saw the guards again, the camp, the walking skeletons that made up the prisoners, broken, humiliated….lost. So strong had the image been that he would have sworn he could smell the fresh rain, the sickening sweet aroma of burning human flesh from the crematorium…hear the agonizing screams from the dying in the gas chambers, the yells of pain from the doctors' barrack as they used all their medical knowledge to generate pain to the prisoners; not cure them…could see the tears mothers cried when their babies where taken from them to be killed because they were too young to work and therefore had no value at all…..Gods, it had been so real.

He had thought he should die; the memories strangle him. He had needed to get out, he felt trapped in the barrack that he shared with his family even though Katherine had done her best to make it into a good home for them and their children. So he had spent the night walking around the compound, talking to the guards and casting glances towards the medical tent, foolishly hoping to see his friend and co-leader walk out of there as if nothing had happened. But something had happened…since his experiences during the war he had always felt unease near hospitals and doctors but tonight he had sent kind thoughts their way for them to help Scott.

"It's hard to say," Ororo said sadly and wiped blood covered hands on her already stained pants.

"Will he live?" Erik asked grimly, mentally preparing for a no. He had lost his parents, his first family, friends and loved ones….should he lose another? Was death all he would ever see? Suddenly he felt very tired and very old.

"He has been severely and brutally tortured. It's not possible to say if he was raped or some human's sick form of humour with a sharp object and….." she noticed Erik's face turn pale at the depth of what she was saying got to him. She understood completely; she had had to throw up several times during the night when she had been working with the human doctor to heal and bandage Scott. Humans were often used as doctors due to their greater vulnerability in battle and Dr. Martin was one of their best.

Ororo had seen many rape cases during the war; rape was an often used method to try and break a prisoner no matter sex but this…and the extensive torture as well…maybe they had known how valuable he truly was to the Rebellion though she doubted. If so it had been too easy to get him out. "It's too early to say but…," she cast a worried look into the tent, her angle in front of him preventing Erik from seeing Scott inside.

"But what?" his worry made his tone sharp.

"It's…it's like he has given up. I believe his body can recover in time but I'm not sure about his mind," she explained and gratefully took the cup of water Erik handed from the table nearly.

"He's strong. He'll pull through," Erik wasn't sure whom he was trying to reassure, himself or Ororo.

"Maybe," she sounded tired and Erik noticed lines under her eyes which hadn't been there before. After Remy's death she had seemed to age several years and Erik feared she was slipping away before his eyes but right now he knew no words with which to calm her.

"'Ro, we need a new empath," Rogue called from within the tent and Ororo entered, Erik close behind her. This was only one of many hospital wings they had here in the compound but it was full none the less. The smell of blood, vomit and death was overwhelming and in that moment Erik decided that it was about time Ororo got to fly free again; she needed the sky, the stars and the wind. He would see she was replaced as soon as possible.

"How soon?" Ororo asked of Rogue as she went towards her. Rogue sat beside Scott who lay emotionless in bed, his face pale, and his eyes closed. He seemed dead or dying. Beside him sat one of five empaths who worked in this hospital wing. Medicine was rare and hard to come by so when operating and to calm patients they used empaths. However the emotional stress on them was enormous as they felt and shared the pain and agony they adsorbed from their patients. Empaths was highly valued members of the Rebellion, not only because of their skill but also because of their ability to sense and share others' emotions those gifted with empathy were always kind and giving people who wouldn't and maybe couldn't hurt anyone. Sometimes the strain on the empaths was so great they died from pain and agony not their own but adsorbed from their patients.

Erik looked at the empath tending to Scott; it was a young man of some eighteen years. His right hand rested on Scott's sweat covered brow, his eyes were closed but his face was twisted in agony, sweat running down his face.

"Has he given signal for the bond to be broken?" Erik asked Rogue, knowing that it was very dangerous to remove an empath from his or her patient if they weren't ready to break their bond with the patient.

"Not yet," Rogue answered, her hand moving towards the empath's to take it away from Scott and break their bond.

"No. Don't break the bond until he gives word," Erik said as his hand shut out and held Rogue's away.

"He could die," she protested. Erik looked at the young man, pain in his eyes.

"It's his call, his life and his decision," Erik said softly, something in him wondering if he wanted the boy to give his life if that meant Scott would live.

"Scott could never live with himself if living meant someone so young and innocent had to die," Ororo warned from where she was tending to a woman in the bed next to Scott's.

"No one is innocent anymore," Erik whispered but just as he was to consider how to handle the situation the empath sent the signal; a wave of brief burning pain in his mind hit Erik and then disappeared. "He has sent the signal. Break the bond," Erik ordered and Rogue removed the boy's hand from Scott's brow. The empath took deep breaths before he opened his eyes. Then he blinked for a few minutes as if trying to remember where he was. As he looked up at Erik standing next to him tears ran from his eyes and down his cheeks. One of many side effects to empathy was being very emotional, as everyone's hurts and pain lay bare to them.

"Those are for me?" Erik asked softly and with his right hand indicated the boy's tears.

"Some of them; many are for him," he nodded to Scott lying still as death in the bed.

"What can you tell me about his condition?" Erik asked.

"My lady…Rogue! Logan has returned from his mission in town; Angel has been wounded in his right wing, it looks broken," Bobby yelled to her, standing at the tent entrance. The soldiers on duty were denied entrance to the hospitals unless called in or it was an emergency. It was a rule Scott and Erik had made as they had become aware of the drop in morale and courage visits to the hospital gave the soldiers. Seeing torn and bloodied bodies, friends, comrades, soldiers whose bodies were held together by mere pieces of flesh, soldiers who held on to a torn off arm or leg, their eyes hazy and clouded with agony…mad in their pain, trapped in their own world…..seeing that side of war and battle just before going out on a mission wasn't a good idea. Every soldier knew the risk but it wasn't spoken of; it was better that way.

Erik turned towards Bobby who gave a quick salute. Erik noticed the blood running from a wound in his right arm; a piece of clothing trying to stop the blood but the bandage was already red in blood. His clothes were dirty and torn; it had been a hard battle. "Commander, the in tell was right; they were moving several prisoners. We got them but Angel is wounded; Logan took several shots…"

"Is he hurt?" Rogue asked worried as she ran towards Bobby to go to her husband.

"He'll heal, it's not bad," Bobby reassured her.

"I'm not familiar with Warren's DNA, his wings must be like a bird's. We need someone…." Rogue began as she gathered some medic equipment in a bag.

"Logan is finding John, the human educated as a vet. He must know what to do with wings," Bobby said as she turned towards him and nodded that she was ready. They turned around to run towards the wounded who had just come in.

"Robert, get someone to check on your wound," Erik yelled after them.

"Yes, sir," he yelled back.

"Will you take over here?" Rogue yelled over her shoulder at him. Erik nodded.

"I will," he answered but she and Bobby had already disappeared from view. Erik turned back to the empath.

"So, you were saying about Scott?"

The young man frowned.

"His mind is a tortured mess and not just from the torture," he began.

"He has been taken once before but with Logan's help I got him out quickly," Erik explained.

"It's not just that. He has great pain, from his childhood…..he suffers from severe traumas never talked about or cured. To me it's a wonder how he managed to act sane at all," the man shook his head sadly.

"And this means what exactly?" Erik wanted to know.

"That maybe…he can't work through this. He walked a very fine line before…..I'm not sure he can find it again."

"He can…he has too," Erik moved to sit beside Scott in the chair just occupied by Rogue and stroked Scott's damp hair away from his face.

"I'm not a telepath so I don't know in images what he went through but there was so much blood, pain, agony, humiliation…and shame. Old and new mixed together."

For a while neither spoke, both deep in thoughts.

"I've granted him sleep. It'll hold him about four hours. I suggest a more skilled empath help him then because my defences aren't strong enough to hold so much agony down," the empath said as he stood, running a tired hand over his face.

"How long has it been since you last slept?"

"A few days…I can't remember," the young man admitted, running a hand through his hair. "There has been much activity. I miss the quieter times we had last season."

"Don't we all," Erik mumbled. Then he turned to the empath. "Go get some sleep," he saw he was about to protest. "That's an order. Now go. We can manage for a few hours."  
"As you wish, Commander," the empath took his right hand to his lips, kissed it and spread it to the side in the traditional greeting empaths gave. Erik nodded his acknowledgement of the greeting and the man left.

"Scott…how strange life can be," Erik mumbled as he kept stroking his hair. He still looked dead and was it him or was his hands cold? Fearful he drew back the blanket covering him and opened the long hospital dress he wore. He wasn't shocked to see all the marks on his chest, he had seen them many times before, had seen it fresh when he saved him and not newly washed and bandaged as it was now, he himself had felt such pain, such torture but the clear evidence of Scott's suffering made pain come to his heart. "Such bastards!" he swore as he laid his right hand on Scott's chest, feeling for a heartbeat. He held his breath until he felt a weak beat.

"That's it; fight. You can do it," Erik encouraged as he rebuttoned Scott's dress with the gentleness of a father. "You did a great job fighting both when we were enemies and when we joined forces. Even before we fought on the same side I always admired your strength, cunning and brilliant mind. You never let them take you down then; don't let them win now," he urged, wondering if Scott could even hear him on some level.

"Erik? Erik? Love?" a sweet but worried voice called.

"In here, Katherine," Erik answered and his mood instantly brightened as Kitty appeared in the entrance to the hospital.

"There you are," she lit up in a big smile and ran to him and embraced him and kissed him. He laid his arms around her and drew her down to sit on his lap.

"Sorry if I worried you," he whispered in her ear, holding her close, finding her nearness smoothing. This was why he fought; for Katherine and their children, this was why the dream had to stay alive. Tonight when they went to bed he would show her just how precious she was to him and how she kept him going, kept him fighting.

"It's okay. How's Scott doing?" she asked worried and caressed his cheek before she took his hand in hers and held it tight.

"He'll be alright," Erik reassured, not wanting her to worry.

"Mags!" a voice yelled from outside the hospital entrance. Erik recognised the voice at once and also knew that the owner of that voice would never enter a hospital voluntary unless it was his beloved wife laying in there.

"What is it, Logan?"

"You're needed at hospital wing 8. Ororo is fighting with a heart attack and trying CPR. She needs your magnetic powers to try and control the iron in the patient's blood…" Logan explained but Erik was already on his feet, kissed Kitty on the lips and went towards him and they ran towards hospital 8.

"...to try and revive him," Erik ended. It was very hard to do and demanded much concentration. So far he had only had success with this once but in desperate times with no other option….suddenly a thought came to him. "Is Brannan in at the moment?"

Brannan was a man around the 30 with the mutant ability to shot lighting from his fingertips. Though it was hard and demanded much concentration Brannan could use his abilities with great precision and therefore use his powers to revive people with much greater success than Erik could.

"I don't…."Logan began but stopped in mid sentence and sniffed the air. "I have his scent, he must just have returned. I smell blood, he has been hurt," Logan turned on his heels and ran towards the source of the smell. Within seconds they stood beside Brannan and his team. Erik was relieved to find Brannan's wound wasn't serious but a milder leg wound.

"Magnus, the southern perimeter is safe. We…." Brannan began but Erik held up a hand and stopped him. Brannan had been an outlaw and criminal before the war had broken out and therefore shared Logan's dislike in authority but Erik knew Brannan's loyalty, like Logan's, was unquestionable.

"That can wait. We have a heart attack in hospital wing 8, go there at once. Logan, get him there. Oh, and I insist you get a doctor to look at that wound no matter how much you share Logan's general dislike in them," Erik yelled after him as Logan all but carried the other man towards hospital 8 and they disappeared inside. Erik looked after them for a while before turning and walking back towards the main hospital wing where Scott lay.

"Commander, remember you have a meeting with the council now," one of his helpers and aides, a young woman at some fourteen years old, reminded him.

"Oh, yes. That's right. Take me there."

The aide followed him to the war tent or debriefing tent, depending on who was talking. The former X-men called it the former after the war room Xavier had had within which he made all major decisions while all others used the latter. The aide closed the canvas after Erik had entered and two guards moved to stand before the entrance.

Inside around a round table sat six people who all rose as he entered. When the entire council was gathered they were twelve but Logan, Ororo, Rogue and Kitty was often missing at these meetings; the first because he found them a waste of time and the others because their time frame was often too tight to allow them to come. Instead Erik had an aide go to them and tell a summary of the meeting if they so wished or he thought there was something they should know. If it was big news, Scott usually said it to the entire camp through the speakers.

"Sit," Erik said as he walked around the table and sat in his chair. Scott's chair stood painfully empty. "First of all I know you all want to hear about Scott. He's alive and…there's hope and that's the important thing," cheers and nods followed around the table.

"Okay, settle down. Let me hear today's news. Jesse, you begin," Erik said and nodded to a young man to his left; Scott used to sit to his right. Jesse was a mutant with powers which combined Peter's and Kitty's; he could phase himself, but never objects and thereby go through walls and floors and he could turn his body into stone so many weapons, like normal guns, wouldn't hurt him.

"I've had contact with the Underground in England; we're winning Europe. As you know many European countries claimed neutral in the human-mutant war and many others took our side. Furthermore as you know, all our European operations go through London as England never fell to the Human Front and after we won Paris back many have gone through there as well. However I was told that the front has moved again; we're nearing Germany."

A collective sigh of relief and happiness went around the table.

"And Russia? Where do they stand in all this?" Erik wanted to know.

"Russia has been in chaos for a very long time; its people torn between their old and new form of government. Their inside struggles have been so great that the mutant issue has pretty much passed them by," Simon, an old Jewish human from Israel, another country who had fought on the side of the Rebellion since the war started, told them. He was the only human who sat in the council but though many had been suspicious at first about having humans in their midst all soon found great respect for Simon and his wisdom.

"True but things have stabilized somewhat now," Peter said, a Russian mutant himself.

"Yes, that's true. They recently got a new leader …."

"And they haven't killed him yet? Shock," Elizabeth, their English telepath mumbled.

"He proclaimed himself Tsar and is making fast pace with trying to get the country back on track," Simon ended.

"Where does he stand on mutant issues? That's all I want to know," Erik broke in.

"To have peace within he needs an outer enemy. The question is; us or them?" Ling said, a Chinese mutant with the power of flight.

"Simon, what's your opinion on this?" Erik asked.

"He'll choose to if not join us then at least not fight us."  
"Why?" Elizabeth asked suspiciously.

"It's rumoured his army is made up largely of mutants."  
"Which would explain the speed with which he can remake order," Jesse nodded.

"So…Russia is a possible ally but in any case no worry at present," Erik summed up. "Anything else? The Middle and Far East?"

"No change. India remains neutral in fear of a reaction from its neighbours but she is definitely more mutant friendly than not which might be natural considering its old bond to England," Jesse said and Erik nodded.

"Very well. Peter, I want someone sent to India to talk about unofficial help like weapons, staff…medicine. Anything at all."  
"I'll get right on it," he promised.

"Good. If that was all….." everyone indicated they had no more news. "Then this meeting is adjourned."

Everyone stood up but didn't start to leave.

"You can leave," Erik said and the room became empty.

He leaned forward and buried his head in his hands. It had been a long night and until he was sure Scott would be okay it would still be a long night no matter if it were the sun or the moon that was shinning.

Scott…wake up. You can do it…..you can do it…you have to

_Wake up….._

* * *

[1] Polish for 'beloved'

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a longer story but my motivation died.


End file.
